Lotus Promises To Integrate Its Electric Cars To Smart Grids With Centrica

Both companies plan to “redesign electric vehicle ownership.”

Lotus named its first electric car as Evija with a message in mind. It comes from Eve, which means “the first in existence.” That means Lotus aims to sell a lot more EVs in the future. All of them will be compatible with smart grids. That is what Lotus says about its joint efforts with Centrica, which classifies itself as “an international energy services and solutions business” that is a parent company to British Gas. Both companies promise to “redesign electric vehicle ownership,” and, among these measures, smart grid use is probably the most important.

Lotus and Centrica also aim to create “a new global charging and energy infrastructure for new products,” probably similar to Tesla Superchargers. The companies also want to decarbonize Lotus’ operations worldwide and mention a “new, flexible platform designed to power a future digital mobility lifestyle.” We have no idea what that means, and the release also does not explain that, so we will wait for future releases to have that in more detail.

The main point of the joint press release is to say that Lotus’ EVs will be compatible with smart grids without mentioning them a single time. All the publication says is that the companies will make the cars “an extension of the home, capable of storing electricity, minimizing emissions, and generating new income by providing services to the energy market,” – which is what smart grids do.

Electric cars can charge at times when the energy is cheaper – after midnight, for example. They can give that energy back to the grid when it is more expensive, earning the EV owner some money in the process. With that backup from electric cars, the power grid may not have to start thermal power plants, avoiding emissions.

The issue with smart grids is that they may make car batteries last much less than they usually would by feeding just the motors of their EVs. Can the money owners receive for helping the grid cover the cost of a battery pack replacement? Nissan already had issues with that. We hope Lotus has that in mind for all its future electric cars, including the “first in existence,” the Evija.

This website uses cookies to improve your user experience and to provide you with advertisements that are relevant to your interests. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies.Ok